Looking to a 30 year horizon, the City of Whittlesea has unveiled a strategic plan for the delivery of human services. Director Community Services, Ruth Spielman, said the strategic plan was the result of an unparalleled collaboration across close to 20 organisations delivering community services in the City.
“The aim of the project was to determine gaps in services as they are likely to arise over the next 30 years,” she said. “By having all the major community services sign off on the project we have delivered to the State and Federal Governments, a clear road map of where services will be needed, when and how much they will cost. “It is a comprehensive case for funding that we believe will advocate effectively for much needed, important human services.”
The plan looks at a range of infrastructure and services including:
- childcare
- family and youth support services
- multi purpose community centres
- health services
- respite
- aged services.
The document is fully integrated into the future planning and development of the City of Whittlesea. Ms Spielman said the document is invaluable in showing clearly where services will be needed.
“There is an existing lack of adequate human service infrastructure in the municipality, especially in family support services,” she said. “This is going to be exacerbated with rapid population growth over the next few years.”
Preparation of the plan found that service gaps were widening in the City of Whittlesea.
Ms Spielman said services are not keeping pace with our population growth and this gives a clear vision of what is needed to redress the balance.
